China-made mosquitoes to fight Zika virus

Zika virus is the latest dreaded word right now in the health sector. Mostly because of the reason that not much is known about the virus yet. But things seem to be moving ahead. Researchers are all set to carry out a pilot field study using mosquitoes infected with bacteria in South China sometime in March.

According to head researcher of the study and microbiology professor at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, Guangdon province Xi Zhiyong, this is expected to cut down the local mosquito population, which could spread Zika. These mosquitoes will be infected with Wolbachia bacteria and released at 2-3 trial sites in Guangdong.

The team managed to lower the mosquito population by 90% last year using the same technique and helped containing dengue outbreak. So this is how it works. Researchers release male mosquitoes that do not bite. And the eggs by female mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia are infertile.

This will automatically reduce the mosquito populations.

According to the report in the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the PRC, no Zika cases have been reported in China to date. On Thursday, the National Health and Family Planning Commission ordered the mass extermination of mosquitoes.

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes is found widely in South China along with some northern areas of the country.